Does anyone have any experience with them? We have one at work now and I'm pretty enamored with him. He's sweet, cheerful, playful, attentive but fairly laid back... anyway, he's the only one I've ever met and I'm looking into them now. He's from a breeder in Canada, not sure who, though.

Also, are Lapponian Herders basically shorthaired Finnish Lapphunds? I'm having a hard time finding any good info on them in English. All I know is that they were considered two types of the same breed until relatively recently (around the 30s, I think?) I'm curious if they have the same general temperament.

They are just beautiful dogs and the temperament you described in the boy you have met is the temp that I have heard described again and again. They seem to be gaining popularity in Australia. They are not the type of dog I'm interested in owning but I can absolutely see the appeal.

Unfortunately I haven't met one in real life, but I certainly want to!

Ooh, thank you for the link! I hadn't found that site yet. That makes me really happy to hear (and read) that what I'm seeing is fairly typical of the breed. I am not usually a spitz person, but I'm very interested in these guys!

I can't say anything more than the link Catsi gave, but this is a breed I've been considering as well. I've met one now, met him at the dog park last weekend! He was everything described from the internet, except he didn't much care for playing, just kinda rooted around in the bushes by himself.

They sound like friendly, moderate energy dogs. What makes it good for me is that there's a breeder just outside my city...